VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WAWV/WTWO) – According to GasBuddy as of June 2nd the state average is at $4.90 per gallon. This is a 34¢ increase from last week.
While gas prices rise Indiana Lawmakers continue to debate ways to provide relief for Hoosiers.
Indiana State Representative Tonya Pfaff said Indiana is the 6th most expensive gas tax across the nation. The Indiana Democratic Party has pushed to suspend the state’s gas tax since March.
“When we go to fill up our gas tank these days there’s just a lot of pain at the pump,” Pfaff said. “If there’s something that we can do as a legislative body and governor to help ease that burden off of hard working Hoosiers, I think we should.”
As legislators have discussed the suspension of the states gas tax, Vigo County Commissioner Chris Switzer said he believes it would hurt the county.
“It would be very detrimental to the local counties, town, and cities,” Switzer said. “We rely on that gas tax for roads pot holes, and snow plows.”
Switzer said Vigo County receives $500,000 a month from the state gas tax for local services.
“The number one compliant I get as county commissioner is the roads,” Switzer said. “The suspension of this tax will just set us back further.”
Governor Eric Holcomb has chosen to explore other relief options for Hoosiers as Indiana is projected to be sitting on a six billion dollar surplus.
Both Pfaff and Switzer agree relief for Hoosiers has to come sooner rather than later.
“If we are not going to suspend the gas tax then we all look forward to see what the governor will come up with,” Pfaff said.
“I hope our legislators can work together and come up with some type of solution,” Switzer said.
Pfaff said Governor Eric Holcomb has a relief plan in the works but didn’t provide any other details.
